


Dr. Pepper Eyes

by SSDriscool



Series: i hope you'r happy even if you're not mine [2]
Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fix-It of Sorts, M/M, Multi, No Jigsaw, No Punisher, No dead family, Pre-Poly, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-14
Updated: 2019-02-14
Packaged: 2019-10-28 02:04:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17778512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SSDriscool/pseuds/SSDriscool
Summary: "Tell me I’m being ridiculous. Tell me Maria doesn’t know what she’s talking about and hasn’t read us like a fucking book. Tell me you don’t lov-…”“I do.” Billy interrupted with such an intense flash of emotion in his deep brown eyes that Frank couldn’t even put his finger on what it was. The look there and gone in a split second. The thing was that Billy could omit the truth, and wear a face for safety's sake even around his best friend, but he could never outright lie to Frank. The simple thought of doing so made lies taste like bile, which was ironic given that lying came to Billy as easy as breathing. “I do, Frank… But you’re fucking married - to someone that deserves you and I’m…” Just Billy Russo.





	Dr. Pepper Eyes

**Author's Note:**

> The title of this series & this part, and really the whole general theme of the fic is inspired by Blue October's I Hope You're Happy. I basically listened to the song on repeat while writing this.
> 
> No beta-reader. Just my own editing with unrested eyes.

The mid-afternoon sun was gradually falling towards the horizon. It had only been a month since his conversation with Maria. Billy having recently returned from a trip overseas. Frank supposed now was a good time as any to work up the courage and bring up what had been weighing heavily on him. There was no time like the present with Billy stood next to him. The other man was leaned against the railing of the pier. His eyes looking out over the open water, and Frank couldn’t help but notice that his posture diminished the height difference between them. That small detail bringing forth thoughts he had done his best to put away, until Maria ran through that vault door like a freight train.

His eyes cast to the side to watch his friend after another long moment of silence. He had a suspicion that Billy was purposefully looking everywhere but at him. Frank was never good at hiding it when he wanted to talk, even worse now that he had a family that did nothing but encourage him to talk.

This was the best spot for it, of course, _their spot_. And shouldn’t that have clued Frank into something? The fact that they even **had** a spot. The only other person he could say that about was his wife. A slight windy breeze brought Frank from his thoughts with a shiver. It was too cold to linger forever, so he heaved out a breath and decided the hell with it.

“Hey, Bill…” he started, stopped, and then swallowed heavily. “What would you have done if I asked you out… back then?”

“… what?”

Frank knew Billy and he knew the question was a ploy. The note of confusion genuine until it was played up to avoid whatever unexpected conversation was headed his way. Good looking and oblivious was a card Billy played well.

“Back then… when we were serving together, or on leave…” Frank clarified as if he actually needed to. There was nothing between them but winter air and years of familiarity. “What would you have said if I asked you out?”

“Kiss my ass, Frankie. You trying to win a bet with Curtis or something…?” Billy asked with a bemused smirk. His hands tucked into denim pockets as he straightened his taller frame and even with the few added inches, the paranoia was still clear in the crease of his gaze.

“Christ, Bill… No, there ain’t no damn bet. You going to answer the question?”

Billy laughed dryly at his response and it made Frank’s jaw clench. His eyes drawn to the sound of his friend tapping slender fingers against the railing, as Billy turned his own gaze back to the water. Time passed and Frank waited. His mouth set in a hard line until the silence started to drag and he huffed heavily.

“You know what… Fuck it, forget I asked.” Frank grunted and turned on his heel. His shoulders set in a tense as he prepared to walk off. He didn't want to sink far enough into a bad mood that he carried it home to Maria and the kids.

“ _Wait_ …” Billy’s voice broke through the silence and the sudden grip around Frank’s wrist was on the verge of desperate. The normal facade he used when it was just _Billy Russo vs The World_ gone and replaced by a conflicted expression. “What the fuck do you want me to say, Frankie…?”

"Tell me I’m being ridiculous. Tell me Maria doesn’t know what she’s talking about and hasn’t read us like a fucking book. Tell me you don’t lov-…”

“I do.” Billy interrupted with such an intense flash of emotion in his deep brown eyes that Frank couldn’t even put his finger on what it was. The look there and gone in a split second. The thing was Billy could omit the truth, and wear a face for safety's sake even around his best friend, but he could never outright lie to Frank. The simple thought of doing so made lies taste like bile, which was ironic given that lying came to Billy as easy as breathing. “I do, Frank… But you’re fucking married - to someone that deserves you and I’m…” ~~Just Billy Russo~~.

But that had always been enough for Frank... until he had figured out that Billy let no one in, _not really_. Not even the man he trusted with his life.

Frank opened his mouth to say something and was once again interrupted. This time by the buzz of his phone in his back pocket.

 _'It’s getting cold and the kids are asking about Billy. Bring him over, I’m making his favorite.'_   The text read and Frank couldn’t help but smile.

“Maria…?” Billy asked even if he didn’t need to. It was written all over Frank’s face. “It’s getting late. You should probably get back home,” he continued on without waiting for an answer. Billy did his best to ignore the itch to smoke for the first time in years and averted his gaze from Frank.

“You’re not going to come and say hi to the kids? Junior’s been dying to show you his new haircut…” Frank stated. His eyes were bright with the memory of his son trying to show off the imitation of Billy’s haircut.

The playful scowl Billy aimed his way told Frank that his guilt trip had worked. Glad to know that his kids still had the other man wrapped around their fingers.

“Look at you, Frankie… Playing dirty.” Billy grumbled with a genuine smile. His shoulder knocked against Frank’s on their way back to the car.

They rode back to the house in relative silence and the nervousness in Billy’s gut didn’t show up on his face until they were both stepping out of the truck. Frank tempted to reach over and offer reassurance when both their attention was pulled to the front door. His daughter waved eagerly before she yelled back into the house to announce their arrival. Frank’s chest feeling far too small to contain the swell of happiness at the sight.

“Uncle Billy! Look… I got a new haircut!” Junior exclaimed as he bound out the door not ten seconds later. Too eager to wait for them to get into the house to show off. Frank unable to keep the smile off his face when Billy laughed and picked the young boy up to get a closer comparison. His hand settled against the other man’s shoulder while they guided the kids back into the house and to the dinner table.

* * *

 

Dinner with Billy had been uneventful, it was simply a comfortable and familiar routine they had established years ago. Billy stationed between the two kids at the table. Not simply because he kept them entertained and somehow convinced Junior to eat his vegetables, but also because Maria had eventually discovered that Billy Russo was the culprit who supplied Max with the most table scraps. He was worse about giving the dog pickings off his plate than Frank. So he sat between the kids nowadays, back to the wall and the furthest from the dog.

The kids were tucked into bed and asleep not long after dinner, and the adults had slipped out back for a beer or two and some fresh air. Frank seated on the porch steps while he comfortably rested back against Maria. Her hands running through his hair as they both watched Billy struggle to play tug-of-war with the dog without spilling the beer in his other hand. Fortunately, he was smart enough to admit defeat and let Max have the rope before he lost his grip on the cool bottle.

“Hey, Billy… Thanks for coming tonight, it’s always great to have you around.” Maria spoke up with a fond smile. The flush to Billy’s cheeks probably due to playing with the dog, but probably not. Maria’s hand anchored over Frank’s shoulder to push herself to her feet. “Don’t stay out here too long you two, you’ll freeze.”

“Goodnight…” Billy called after her. Seemingly finding his voice again. His eyes landed on Frank’s when the backdoor closed behind Maria and for a moment neither of them seemed able to break contact. Not until Frank opened his mouth to say something and Billy swiftly returned to playing with the dog.

The night really wasn’t getting any warmer but Frank was in no rush to stand from the steps and go inside himself. Instead, he sat content and watched his pit chase after the ball thrown from Billy’s hand. They both looked untroubled as ever under the back porch light. Both absorbed in the simple routine between man and his best friend: _throw, fetch, return_. Again and again, until Max became weary and changed the game to one of _'sike, you thought I was going to bring it back!'_   The dog’s personality seemed to shine the most when winding down from a day spent well, and Frank realized with a snort that his pit and Billy had that in common. How many intimate conversations had they shared in the dark after weariness had blanketed itself over their bodies? Conversations they seemed incapable of having when on high alert. His best friend’s face was never more readable than when he was comfortable and yawning.

Another long moment of Max staying right out of Billy’s reach and the man laughed as he squatted his six-foot frame down. “You’re worse than the kids…” Billy declared while scratching behind the dog’s ear. The ball abandoned in favor of physical attention.

Billy truly was beautiful when he spent his time as if he had nothing to prove, and nothing to do, but _belong_.

“Hey, Bill…”

“Yeah, Frankie?” Billy called back, standing up while he turned to look at Frank. Max unhappy with the sudden lack of attention, nosed a wet snout against the man’s fingers.

For a long moment, Frank said nothing. Just took in the sight of Billy and thought on it. Noted the way his usually styled hair was falling in his face, and didn’t shove the thought away when he realized he wanted to run his fingers through it. Instead, he thought about Maria’s fingers in his own hair and the warmth of her weight still lingering at his back. How safe and content she made him feel. He thought about how many times he had wanted to give that to Billy, back then, when they were in separate cots and weariness chipped at their bones. His fingers idly spun his wedding ring, Frank lost in thought before he decided to stop simply thinking about it.

“Go out with me, will ya…”

Billy looked surprised for a second, a deer caught in headlights. But his best friend was no deer, _no one’s prey_. The swiftness in which that expression was gone and replaced by a stoic masked told Frank that Billy had been waiting for this. Waiting for their earlier conversation to circle back to them and he thought for sure he had made a mistake. The cracks in Billy’s armor would be plastered over and he’d deflect this back onto Frank. Likely laugh and give Frank that charmer's grin that was 90% show and 10% too much teeth.

“… okay.” The smile that accompanied Billy’s answer was anything but that. Frank was unable to keep the dimpled grin off his own face, which only got wider when Billy ducked his head. His hand reached out for Max to pet the dog and distract from the pit of nerves, his stomach turned into.

“Come on. Let’s get inside before you both freeze your tails off.” Frank teased, whistling for Max to follow as he stood up from the steps. His feet carried him with the confidence that the other two would be following close behind. It wasn’t until they were both standing in front of the living room that he noticed the doubt clouding Billy’s face. His eyes followed the other’s gaze to the family portrait hanging on the wall: _just a husband, wife, and two point five kids._

“Frank, how the hell is this even supposed to work… I mean, I know what Maria said in the kitchen but this is just…”

“Don’t stress the details right now, Billy. The three of us will talk soon and then…” he interrupted and shrugged one broad shoulder. Frank too content and hopeful for the first time in months to be nagged down by doubt. “Then we can go from there. Maybe I can show you just how I swept Maria off her feet,” he grinned.

“Yeah, okay…” Came Billy’s answering snort. The humor in his voice made it clear his doubt had dissipated, for now.

And yeah, maybe it would be okay. Certainly never easy, not where Billy Russo was involved. But _okay_ as long as they all had each other.

“Goodnight, Billy. The bed in the basement isn’t made but there should be clean covers in the dryer.”

“Night, Frankie…” Billy returned as he watched his best friend head up to bed. His eyes roamed over the dimly lit house when Frank was out of sight, and then settled on the front door. It wouldn’t be a long walk back to his place, but it sure as shit would be a cold and lonely one. So Billy decided to shrug out of his jacket, hung it up on the rack by the door, and then turned around to head down into the furnished basement.  

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed reading! Constructive criticism is always appreciated.


End file.
